Buttonhole.



WITNESSES:

,, v%//)9//4Zdakf v/k ATTORNEY Patented May 2,1916.

ARTHUR- L. JOHNSON, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

BUTTONHOLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented Maya, iaie.

Application filed December 2'7, 1910, Serial No. 599,567. Renewed March 27, 1916. SerialNo. 87,088.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of IVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttonholes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a buttonhole that will permanently maintain its form and original size during the life of the garment and which is particularly adapted to use in knitted goods or other fabrics which are in themselves subject to stretching and afford a relatively unstable foundation for the stitches comprising the buttonhole.

To those skilled in the art of making knit goods it is well known that a satisfactory buttonhole has heretofore been difficult to secure through the natural liability to stretch inherent in this class of goods. Such stretching is increased about the buttonhole by the practice of cutting the fabric to form the same. The many loose ends thus made and the looped connections of the various yarns constitute an unstable and difficult materialto secure in the relatively fixed condition desirable in a buttonhole. The common practice has been to apply a facing of woven material upon the underside of the goods or between the folds thereof through which the stitches were made. The comparatively fixed relation of the threads in the woven material adapts the same to receive the stitches of the buttonhole binding and to a degree prevent the undue stretching of the latter. While such construction of a buttonhole for knitted goods was the best obtainable it was not entirely satisfactory as it required the use of additional knitted material to form the folds between which the woven facing was inserted or the use of *an exposed facin which was undesirable, as being unsightfy, and diminished the value of the goods with which used.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the buttonhole of my invention, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a buttonhole in an incomplete stage; and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the hole cut in the fabric. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a completed buttonhole. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view through one side of the buttonhole illustrating the stitch utilized.

A buttonhole machine of theusual type may be employed in carrying out the pres ent lnvention. Such machine is characterized by having a needle-bar frame through whlch the needle carrying the thread is moved alternately to right and left and in con unction with the forward movement of the goods produces a zigzag stitch. The mechanism of such machines need not be described as the same is not altered save to afford somewhat increased tension to the cord and to reduce the amount of same fed from the bobbin in making a stitch.

In the views, A indicates the cord or gimp, and B, the top or needle thread which is of less diameter.

C indicates the loops formed.

In the application of the stitch to a buttonhole, a series of such stitches, see Figs. 1 and 2, is formed in the fabric making a circuit about and outlining the configuration of the buttonhole. The fabric within said circuit of stitches is then cut, as illustrated in Fig. 3, leaving a raw edge E. A second complete circuit is then made about the buttonhole in the same line as the previous one, such second series of stitches, see Figs. 4 and 5, adding to the stability of the binding and, as shown in the views, drawing into the binding the fibers comprising the said raw edge E. Such second circuit of stitches will ordinarily complete a firm binding for the buttonhole although three or more such circuits may be made about the buttonhole, if desired.

A buttonhole made as described is characterized by a cord which is secured to the goods in the manner of a gimp in a straight line without loops to pull or stretch and at the same time performs all the functions of the bottom silk in the forming of a stitch. A plurality of complete circuits is made about the buttonhole, each subsequent circuit overlying the previous one and affording a construction that will successfully resist any tendencies to stretch that are encountered in use.

The arrangement of the gimp or looking thread A and the bindin thread B will be better understood by re erence to Fig. 6, which shows them in a broad or partly diagrammatic way. It will be seen that in the over the edges of the fabric.

A buttonhole formed as described may be made in the fiimsiest and most unstable material, such as gauze, or light knit goods, as the buttonhole depends upon its component parts and structure for its strength and in elasticity rather than upon the goods to which applied. Furthermore, through the repeated circuits of stitches about the but- .tonhole, said stitches may be made farther from the edge than formerly as it is then not necessary for one of the alternating zigzag stitches to swing into the hole to bind the rough edges of the out. As stated, the cut fiber-ends are drawn into the successive stitches and when the buttonhole is finished presents a smooth and durably bound edge.

That I claim, is-

A fabric having a stitched button-hole formed with a lower gimp or locking thread laid upon the underside of the fabric and continuing several times around the buttonhole proper, and a top or needle thread passing separately around the several layers or rounds of the gimp so that each stitch of said top or needle thread binds a round of the gimp to the underside of the fabric, and to other rounds, the top thread also binding in the raw edges of the buttonhole proper,

as described.

ARTHUR L. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

H. BARNES, E. PETERSON.

Copies of this patentmay he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

- Washington, D. G. 

